Learn how to set up the ATO enforced online services
The New Year has brought in a change from the Australian Tax Office (ATO) where they are further strengthening the security of their online services.
They are rolling out a change that will eventually require you to have an Online Services/Business Portal login if you:
Engage a new tax or BAS agent, or payroll service provider to represent you; or
Provide extra authorisation to your existing authorised agent (this might mean you may ask us to look after your activity statements or add a new entity to your group).
This change is being rolled out over time and unfortunately it seems we won’t have much (if any) advanced notice when you may be affected.
This only affects larger business entities at the moment. We understand that existing clients will only be affected if they start providing additional services to you.
Why has the Tax Office made the change?
There is a need to further strengthen the security of the online services to respond to increasing efforts by criminals to impersonate users to lodge fraudulent tax returns, or gain access to data.
As Tax Agents we are also unfortunately not immune to fraud and identity theft and so the Tax Office is introducing this to:
Help protect clients and agents;
Ensure only authorised agents or payroll service providers can link to your accounts and access your tax/super details;
Give agents more confidence in the identity of their new client/s; and
Bring their processes into line with best practice and community expectations.
How to know when you’re included
If you have a Business Portal login, you will receive a notification when the change is applied to you. You will also be able to see a new Agent Nomination feature within the portal.
There will be steps that we will need to complete for you on your behalf including the need to verify your identity using predetermined Proof of Identity documents. Once we have completed this we can then help you with the process.
Online Services/Business Portal Registration
If you aren’t already set up to use Online services for business the Tax Office has detailed information available to help you get started.
You are also welcome to contact us on 9841 1200 for additional assistance.
Let’s Ride - Lincolns Lambs
We need your support during the 2023 Spinathon.
For 24 hours from midday Saturday 18 February, the annual cycling extravaganza begins! Cyclists will be taking on the challenge of keeping the bikes at Haz Beanz spinning for a whole 24 hours.
You can get involved by donating to our team of riders, and of course you can come along during the cycle to cheer and join in the party!
All funds are donated to the Albany Community Hospice who provide award-winning holistic palliative care to all who need it. It is the aim of the Hospice to provide this service at no cost to their guests or their families. Thanks to the ongoing generosity of the community, they have been able to continuously achieve this aim.
This year the event is aiming to raise $24,000 or $1000 for every hour the bikes are spinning. The Hospice say that this aim would go a long way in providing our community with cost-free palliative care that is delivered with loving kindness.
We hope you can support the Lincolns team to help raise funds for the Hospice.
Ricarda Loecker Part 2
If you are local to Albany, the name Ricarda may sound familiar to you due to her flagship fashion and homewares store on York Street.
While we normally focus on the business in these articles, as we started to talk to Ricarda and her life story unfolded, we realised there was so much more to her story than her current business. For this reason we decided to do this as a two part series.